From the co-author of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Society comes a novel rich in secrets, eccentric characters,, charm, and an un-put-downable story.
It’s autumn 1938. Hotter ‘n a coon dog. In
Washington, D.C., socialite Layla Beck has decided that she doesn’t want to
marry Nelson, the man her father cherry-picked for her. Senator Beck is
outraged and cuts off the young woman, going to far as to have her put on
relief and gets he a job with the WPA.
The WPA sends Layla to Macedonia, West Virginia, to
write the small-town’s history. This seems odd as the reader is not given any
indication that Layla can write a book however brief. Layla settles in at the
Romeyns home.
There she encounters the household: 12-year-old
Willa (who reminded me of Scout from To
Kill a Mockingbird); Willa’s younger sister, Bird; Aunt Jottie, Aunts Mae
and Minereva: and Willa and Bird’s father, Felix. Nearby lives another uncle,
Emmett.
Willa has reached an age where her perceptions are
starting to heighten. She decides that she wants to attain the virtues of the
town’s founder, General Magnus Hamilton: ferocity and devotion. In her new
found qualities, she is keenly aware of the sparks, or something, flying
through the air between Aunt Jottie and Mr. McKubin.
As Layla digs into the town’s history, Willa
practices ferocity and devotion and begins to uncover some interesting things
about her family
.
The story is told in alternate chapters between Willa
and a third-person omniscient narrator. I was quickly pulled into the story. Even
at 512 pages, the story flew by and I had trouble putting it down. It’s the
perfect read for a lazy, hot summer weekend.
I give The Truth According to Us 6 out of 5 stars.
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